Stolen Sock Monkey Slippers
by Lilo.May
Summary: I, Sunny Munroe, officially hate Chad Dylan Cooper. Why? Because he stole my sock monkey slippers. And I'm getting them back one way or another.
1. The Reason

A/N: Here's my new story! Sorry it's taken forever to put this up, but classes decided to get difficult this semester :P Anyway, this is a 5 chapter story with longer(ish) chapters than my last one. I hope you'll enjoy!

* * *

MISSING: Sock Monkey Slippers

DISAPPEARED: June 28th at 4 pm

WHODUNNIT: Chad Dylan Cooper

REWARD: $50

IF YOU FOUND THE SOCK MONKEY SLIPPERS

OR CONVINCE CHAD DYLAN COOPER TO HAND THEM OVER

PLEASE CONTACT SONNY MUNROE IMMEDIATELY

I put up the last of the 50 signs that were hanging around Condor Studios. All said the same thing. I sighed as I stared at the sign at the picture of my dearly beloved slippers, Buster and Binky. Tawni strutted by and noticed me.

"What's wrong, Sonny?" she asked while twisting her face painfully. I'm pretty sure she was trying to look concerned.

"I'm just sad because Chad stole my sock monkey slippers."

"Those ugly things you got a few days ago?" Tawni's face now was pure disgust.

"Yea," I sighed again.

"Why did he do it?" she asked again. She was clearly confused.

"It's a long story, Tawni."

* * *

It was few days ago around mail time. Josh handed me my long awaited package. Inside, was a brand new Blarmie – _The Blanket with Arms_ and a pair of sock monkey slippers. I forgot about the Blarmie – _The Blanket with Arms_ and kicked off my sneakers so I could wear the slippers.

I started prancing around the dressing room in them. Tawni looked up from her hundreds of fan letters to look down at my feet.

"Those are ugly," she pointed out. I was a bit heartbroken, but I shrugged her off.

"I think they are cute," I simply stated and pranced out of the room to get some fro-yo.

On the way to the cafeteria, I decided that my slippers needed names.

"I will name you Buster." I pointed to my left slipper as I kept walking. "And you will be Binky," said as I pointed to my right slipper. I looked up from my slippers to almost run into Chad Dylan Cooper, himself.

"Sorry," I said as I tried to take a half step to the side. The jerk decided to take a step in the same direction.

"So," he said with a sly grin, "Buster and Binky, huh?"

"They're the names for the slippers," I mumbled mostly to myself.

He looked down to my feet. "Oh" was all he said.

"Yea." I looked up and stepped even more to the side. "If you don't mind, I'm getting fro-yo."

"Hey, can I join you?" he called out as I was walking away.

"Uh." I turned around facing him. "Sure, I guess."

* * *

So we got our fro-yos and sat down at a table in the empty cafeteria. I had my feet perched up on another chair just so I could see Buster and Binky.

"What's so special about them?" Chad indicated to my slippers.

"I like them. I think they're cute." Chad's face said otherwise.

We ate the rest of our fro-yo in silence. I was sneakily trying to eat mine quickly so I could get away from Chad faster, but I kept getting a brain freeze.

"Ow!" I screamed out when another brain freeze hit. I put down my spoon and grabbed my head. Brain freeze pain is terrible.

"What's wrong?" asked Chad.

"Brain freeze," I moaned into my hands.

"Here, do this." He stuck his thumb into his mouth and pressed it up against the roof of his mouth. He took his thumb out. "That's supposed to cure it."

I did was he told me and, amazingly, the brain freeze was gone.

"Thanks," I said while blushing a little. I kept my head down so he wouldn't see.

"No problem. I used to get them all the time when I was a kid. So I know a few tricks to get rid of them."

"Well." I looked down at my half-melted yogurt. "I have to go, but thanks for joining me."

I quickly threw away my yogurt and made my exit before Chad could say anything.

* * *

The next couple of days were just rehearsal, so I was in sweatpants and my sock monkey slippers. Tawni kept giving me dirty looks, but that's because of Buster and Binky. Chad on the other hand, kept glancing at my feet when we were in the cafeteria and look like he was concentrating hard, but his face would light up as he thought of something.

One day, we were let off rehearsal early. I think everybody, except Zora and me, went home early. She disappeared somewhere and I decided I needed to catch up on my movies.

I was sitting on the couch in the prop house with my feet propped up on the table in front of me. I was snuggled up in my Blarmie – _The Blanket with Arms_ and Buster and Binky were on my feet. I was watching a scary-horror-romantic movie on the TV. The two main characters were about to kiss as the scary music was playing. Out of the vents, Zora was yelling something, but I was too caught up in the movie to play attention. The suspense was building in the movie until I finally caught what Zora was screaming. "Ambush! Ambush!"

Ambush? The last time she yelled that out was when the _Mackenzie Falls_ cast almost TP'd our prop house. Just as the scary monster jumped the couple in the movie, the doors to the prop house swung open to a yelling Chad Dylan Cooper dressed in camouflage. I screamed and buried myself within my _Blarmie – The Blanket with Arms_. The next thing I knew, Chad Dylan Cooper ran in front of the TV, picked the slippers off of my feet and ran away screaming, "Peace out, sucka!"

I looked down at my feet and saw that they were bare. I screamed out, "Chad Dylan Cooper Stole My Slippers!"


	2. The Rescue Attempt

_A/N: Thank you all for reading/reviewing/favoriting/alerting. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter :)_

* * *

"So that's what happened." I shrugged when I told Tawni the story. She was still confused.

"Wait, _why_ did he steal them?"

"No clue. " I looked over at the poster once again at Buster and Binky. "It _is_ Chad Dylan Cooper. Does he need reasons?"

"_Oooh_!" shrieked Tawni. "I think he likes you!"

"Maybe… wait, what?" I couldn't believe my ears. "Chad Dylan Cooper does _not_ like me!"

"Then why did he steal your slippers?"

"Because he doesn't like me?" That statement was weak. I was mostly trying to convince myself.

"Whatever, Sonny," chirped Tawni as she strutted off leaving me wondering about Chad.

* * *

Thanks to Chad Dylan Cooper, I was now forced to go to lunch in my regular shoes. Well, I would have since it is dress rehearsal day and I dress nicer for those days. The point is he took away the option of wearing slippers instead of shoes.

I glared at him when I walked into the cafeteria. He looked so smug with himself over there laughing with the rest of his cast while dining on lobster. I continued the glaring as I sat down with my pile of mush; I wasn't quite sure what was on my plate since I was too busy staring him down. That's when he shot the smug look at me.

I couldn't take it anymore. I left my table without a word and stormed over to him. Portlyn was giving me the strangest looks as I stood over Chad's chair. He didn't notice I was there, so I cleared my throat.

"Hey there, thief."

Chad looked up a little startled. "What did you call me?"

"A thief."

"And why would you say that?"

"Because you stole my slippers."

"Why would I do that?" Chad gave me a blank look. Darn him being "the greatest actor of our generation" or whatever _Tween Weekly_ decides to dub him.

"I have no clue, but I saw you steal them!"

"Whatever, Munroe," said Chad as he went back to his lunch.

I leaned down to his ear to hiss, "This is war" before I strolled back to my table.

* * *

"Hey Zora," I said while I was climbing up the ladder to the vent in the dressing room.

"What?" Zora slid the vent open and she was quite annoyed.

"Do you know how to get to Mackenzie Falls through the vents?"

"Yep," said Zora looking quite proud of herself.

"And to Chad Dylan Cooper's dressing room?"

"Do I ever!" Zora perked up drastically when she replied.

"Do you think you can show me there?"

"I can, _but_ what's in it for me?"

"Uh…" I didn't think that far ahead about compensation.

"Babysit Gnomie Friday night and you got yourself a deal."

"Fine, Deal."

"Great. Grab what you need because I'm leaving in ten minutes."

I quickly went down the ladder and started running around the dressing room. I changed into my outfit from a spy sketch and grabbed the spy kit.

"Ok, I'm ready," I said as I climbed up the ladder and into the vent.

* * *

Ten minutes later, we were at the vent opening for Chad Dylan Cooper's dressing room. Usually, it takes about 3 minutes to get to Chad's dressing room from mine by foot, but, apparently, crawling through air vents is a lot slower.

Zora didn't slide the cover off right away. I was about to ask her when she put up a finger to her lips and quietly shushed me as she pointed outside the vent.

Chad was sitting at his mirror brushing his hair and styling it. He was using this big fancy golden hairbrush and admiring himself in the mirror. A producer came in to let him know that they were filming soon. Chad put down the brush, took one last look in the mirror and let his room. I reached out to grab the vent door, but Zora's hand stopped me.

"Wait for it," she said as she pointed out again.

The door opened and Portlyn's head popped in. She glanced around very suspiciously and started tiptoeing inside. She was trying to be sneaky and spy-like, I guess, but she knocked into some furniture and toppled over a table. She clumsily tried to set it back up, but failed miserably. She finally made it over to Chad's mirror and picked up his hairbrush. She plucked some hair from it and stuck in her pocket. She put the brush down and walked out of his room.

"Did she just…?"

"She has a shrine of Chad in her dressing room," interrupted Zora. I quickly shivered at the thought, as Zora opened the vent door and I put on the spy gear.

* * *

I thought the dressing room I shared with Tawni was big, but Chad's should have its own zip code. There's a café, a gym, and a… is that a fountain? _Focus, Sonny, Focus_.

Zora said I only had thirty minutes to get myself in and get out before Chad came back from filming. I looked around the room, but I didn't see my slippers. I wanted to go over to the café and get something, but there was no reason for my slippers to be over there. I started rummaging through drawers and pulling off cushions, but no luck. I was completely clueless on where he could have put my slippers.

"Binky! Buster!" I started calling out to them, but then I remembered that they wouldn't be able to answer back.

"Five minutes," warned Zora from the air vent. Panicked, I looked around. I didn't crawl all the way through those vents for nothing. I ran over to the mirror and grabbed the first thing that I saw and stuck it in my bag. I ran back to Zora and the safety of the air vent.


	3. The Ransom Note

A/N: Sorry this took so long. It's finals time, so I haven't had that much time to work on this. Anyway, thank you for reading/reviewing/alerting. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter! P.S. I'm redoing the formating on previous chapters, so don't worry. It's the same story, but with breaks in them where they are supposed to be originally.

* * *

It was a long dress rehearsal. I was in a bad mood over the whole Chad-stole-my-slippers thing-and-I-couldn't-rescue-them thing and my elbows and legs were hurting from crawling back in the vents. I was glad when I was able to go back to my dressing room to go home for the day. I was stripping out of my ice cream cone costume as soon as I walked through Tawni's door. I was down to my t-shirt and shorts when I got to my side of the room.

I put my hands on my vanity and looked into the mirror at my sweaty self. Even though ice cream is suppose to be cold, that costume gets so hot! I reached to grab a towel, but a piece a paper caught my eye. I picked it up from the table, read it, and screamed.

"What is it?" Tawni ran over to my side of the room halfway still in her gingerbread girl costume.

"He left… a note," I said as I handed her the paper.

If YoU wAnT tO sEe

YoUr sLiPpErS aGaIn

CoMe To StAgE 14

tOmOrRoW aT 4

aLoNe Or ThEy GeT iT

"He didn't," gasped Tawni when she looked up from the note. "That's the lovebird stage!"

"The what?"

"Stage 14 is empty," explained Tawni. "So, it's where all the lovebirds go, kinda like Lookout Mountain."

"Eww!" I squealed. "Why would he want to meet me there?"

"I think somebody likes you," Tawni sang.

"Oh geez, Tawni, not again!" I whined as I sat down at my vanity.

"Fine," she said when she handed back the ransom note before she strutted away. "Don't believe me, but don't come crying to me, because all I'll say is 'I told you so'."

* * *

Tawni was wrong. She had to be. There was no way that Chad Dylan Copper liked me and wanted to meet me in Stage 14. Stage 14 is probably not the lovebird studio. She was probably confused and meant Stage 41. Yea, that was it.

"Hey Nico, Grady," I said as I walked into the prop house. The guys were playing video games in their X9000 gaming chairs. They finally saved up enough money to get a second chair so they could finally stop bickering over the first one.

"Hey Sonny," they replied together. They were playing the new _Monkey Cars 3D_ video game.

"Guys, I have a question." I started pacing back and forth behind their chairs. "Hypothetically speaking, if you wanted to take a girl someplace romantic on studio grounds and only on studio grounds, where would you go?"

They paused the game and looked at each other. They both said in unison, "Stage 14."

"Oh Geez." The guys weren't helping my cause at all and they went back to their game. I went over the sarcophagus and knocked on the cover.

"What?" screamed Zora when she opened the door.

"Do you know how to get to Stage 14 through the vents?"

"No," she screeched. "They closed off the vents since it's an unused studio."

"Thanks, Zora. Thanks a lot," I said as she slammed the door shut.

I stormed back to the dressing room. Tawni was right, but I didn't want to tell that to her face. _Stupid Slipper Stealer Chad_. I perked my head up at the thought of an idea and sprinted for Marshall's office.

* * *

"So you want to do a sketch about a slipper stealer?" asked Marshall from behind his desk.

"Yep," I said with a big smile. Marshall didn't look convinced.

"And you want to have this done for tomorrow's live show?"

"Yep." My smile grew even bigger and my cheeks were hurting. Marshall was deep in thought and he didn't look convinced.

"I," he started and I crossed my fingers, "like it! No, absolutely love it!" I breathed a sigh of relief. "You get started on this right away! I want to see a run through three hours before the live show!"

"Thanks Marshall." Another big smile was on my face as I went out the door. "I won't let you down."

I sprinted right out of his office and back to _So Random!_

* * *

I was running in the hallway that connected _Mackenzie Falls_ and _So Random_ when I almost ran into Chad Dylan Cooper. I only say almost, because I saw him and meant to dive behind a plant. In midair, Chad grabbed my arm and pulled me towards him causing me to crash into his chest and this caused both of us to tumble down to the ground.

"Whoa, watch it Munroe," said Chad as soon as he loosened his grip and I scrambled off the top of him. "What were you doing diving behind a plant? Didn't want to see the Greatest Actor of Our Generation?"

"Uh, no," I said as he got up with his hand still on my arm. "I just happened to spot a… penny and was going to pick it up."

"And that involved diving?"

"Yep." I tried to walk away, but his grip on my arm tightened.

"Whatever, Munroe," he said when I finally broke free of his grasp and took off. "I'll see you later."

* * *

"You want us to do a sketch about WHAT?"

That was Tawni's reaction when I broke the news about the last-minute sketch during rehearsal on the stage. She was the one member out of our cast that was the least ecstatic about this idea.

"You heard me."

"So we're doing a sketch about your ugly shoes being stolen? Are you sure you don't have a crush on Chad? Because I'm 99.9% sure he has one on you."

"I DON'T have a crush on Chad and he DOESN'T have one on me!"

"I think someone's in denial."

"Whatever Tawni, let's just practice the sketch."

"Fine," she said as she looked at where the camera was supposed to be. "Hello, my name is Tawni Hart and I'm here to inform you of a situation that is sweeping the nation… SONNY MUNROE IS IN LOVE WITH CHAD DYLAN COOPER!"

Everyone in the room gasped, especially me.

"I do NOT!" I insisted.

"De-ni-al," she sang, stretching out every syllable.

"Whatever," I said trying to brush it off. "Let's just rehearse this, please? And seriously?"

Weird stares from my cast mates were my answer as we started.


	4. The Rendezvous

_A/N: Thank you everyone for reading/reviewing/alerting. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter! (One more chapter and this story is complete!)_

* * *

"Hello, my name is Tawni Hart and I'm here to inform you of an epidemic that's been sweeping our nation… Slipper Thefts."

A chuckle scattered throughout the audience when Tawni said the last part of her line. It was the next day during live show performance. Marshall loved the sketch and thought it could the next big thing, like the Check-It-Out Girls. For right now, it was my revenge until the rendezvous.

"Each day, thousands of people are losing their slippers because of these thefts," Tawni continued. "Let's take a look at one of these thefts caught on tape."

The next scene was Nico lying in bed with his pajamas on, like he just woken up. He swung his feet over to the side and was about to stick his feet into bunny slippers right beside the bed. However, Grady came in dressed in all black and stole the slippers and ran off before Nico's feet even got to them. Nico screamed in distressed, "MY SLIPPERS!"

"Millions of scenes similar to this occur every day. If you donate to Help Save the Slippers Foundation, scenes like this…"

My scene was up and the set looked exactly like the prop house. I was situated on the couch exactly the same way as the night my slippers were stolen, but this time around, I had pink bunny slippers on. I pretended to be distracted by the television when Grady came running in again and stole the slippers right off my feet. I screamed and hid in my blanket as he ran off.

"To this," Tawni said as she continued her monologue.

Grady kept running with my slippers in hand until Zora dressed in a police uniform tackled him. She then promptly arrested him on the spot saying, "Your slipper stealing days are over, buster."

"Your donation helps catch the slipper thieves and reunite slippers with their owners."

Zora presented me my stolen slippers and I got very emotional over the reunion. I let out a very loud sob that the audience cracked up over.

"So please donate to Save the Slippers Foundation, because it's no laughing case when your slippers are stolen. Thank you."

The audience gave us a standing ovation as we lined up to do our sign off. Marshall did the honors, but you couldn't hear him since the applause and cheering was overwhelming. We ran off the stage and did a mini-celebration backstage. I attempted to be happy and celebrate with my cast, but butterflies in my stomach decided to have a party of their own, a hoedown.

* * *

I was nervous. Even Tawni could tell as I paced back and forth in our dressing room.

"Relax, Sonny," she said in a smoothing tone from her side. "You'll get your slippers back soon enough… just right after you two admit your love for each other."

"Yeah… wait, what?" I stopped in my tracks and whirled around to face her. "We do _not_ like each other. Especially Chad. In fact, we hate each other. No, I take that back, we _loathe_ each other."

"Whatever." Tawni rolled her eyes. "I still believe you guys are in denial. Or at least, you are."

"I am _not _in denial." I looked at the clock. "I have to go and get back my slippers."

I grabbed my purse and started out the door, but Tawni's light bulb went off in her head.

"Wait!" she screamed while she grabbed my arm. "We need to do something before you go to your hot date with Chad Dylan Cooper in the lovebird stage!"

"It's not a date," I protested as she dragged me to the chair in front of her vanity. I was scared.

* * *

I was late with my "meeting" with Chad. Tawni decided at the last minute that a rendezvous means _Sonny-needs-a-makeover_. I was wearing a ton of makeup and she attacked my hair with a curling iron. I tugged on the top Tawni made me wear; it was one of her infamous flowy tops. She also thought I needed heels, just in case I needed to make a quick escape from Chad. I was _completely_ going to thank her as soon as this ordeal was done.

Chad wasn't there at Stage 14 when I got there. I was standing in the middle of the café set of the popular TV series, _Pals _(when the show ended, the studio refused to let another show in and kept the stage intact). I glanced around nervously, because I really didn't want to find other people in here besides me and Chad.

I sat on one of couches and waited for Chad, if he decided to show up. My purse was right beside me, packed specifically in case Chad would be difficult in handing over Buster and Binky.

Everything went black as a pair of hands covered my eyes. I screamed and grabbed the hands and threw them off my face.

"Geez, Munroe, calm down," said Chad when his hands were off.

"You scared me," I retorted as I grabbed my purse and got up to face him. I clutched my purse closer, even though the couch acted like a barrier. "Where are they Chad? I want to see them before anything happens."

Chad just shrugged and his hand dove into a bag he was carrying. He pulled out Buster and Binky. They looked exactly the same as the day they were stolen. I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Before you get them back," Chad said as he returned them back into his bag, "we need to talk about the ransom."

"Ransom?" I was confused. "What ransom? The note never mentioned anything about ransom."

"Go on a date with me Friday night."

I had to laugh.

"Sorry, Chad, I already made plans," I explained. "I promised Zora to babysit Gnomie."

"Gnomie?" Chad looked more confused then I was. "You mean that gnome from the Gnome Sketch?"

"Yep."

"Well, then," he said as he gained his composure. "Saturday night."

"Chad," I said with a devilish grin. "I believe I have something that will change the circumstances dramatically."

I reached into my purse and pulled out Chad Dylan Cooper's golden hairbrush.

He gasped.

"_You_ stole it? I thought it was Portlyn who did it!"

"Nah, she only took the hair off of it. Apparently, she has a shrine of you in her dressing room."

Chad shuddered at the thought before he sternly said, "Give it back."

"Not until you give me back my slippers," I said as I put the hairbrush back in my purse.

"I don't think so, Sonny. Not until you agree to a date."

"Well, then, I believe we have reached a stalemate."

Chad didn't think so, since he came around the couch towards me. I backed up, keeping the distance consistent.

"Why did you steal them?" I asked. That was the one question on my mind ever since he took them. He stopped short in his tracks and I made a couple of extra steps for insurance.

"Because I like you," Chad said in a _duh_-voice. I almost dropped my purse as my mouth dropped. He had to be kidding me. Tawni couldn't be right.

"So how does it involve them?" I asked with my voice quavering. The butterflies in my stomach decided to start up their dance party again; this time around it was a disco.

"I was going to ask you out earlier," he admitted, "but that's when you got your slippers. I couldn't get your attention, because you were so enthralled with them. So that's when I decided to steal them."

"So you like me." So much was thrown at me within the last couple of minutes that I had to reason through my thoughts. "So that gave you reason to steal my slippers, write a ransom note for them, then, at the rendezvous, you act like a complete jerk in demanding a date with me when you could have asked me nicely in the first place?"

Chad also thought about it and started to look sheepish.

"Where in Chad-world does that even logically work out?"

"It worked in _Mackenzie Falls_," Chad mumbled to himself hoping I wouldn't hear. He was wrong.

An idea popped into my mind. It was gutsy, but risky; however, it seemed to be the only choice right now if I wanted Buster and Binky back. I had to do it.

"So it worked in _McKenzie Falls_, huh?" I regained my composure and confidence as I shortened the distance between Chad and I. I ended up being in his face. "Would this work in Mackenzie Falls?"

I closed the distance between our lips and kissed him. Chad was taken aback at first, but then really got into the kiss. His hands went into my hair and on the small of my back to pull me closer.

"Wow Sonny…" Chad said in-between kisses. "I never knew…. you felt this way…"

I wasn't paying attention. I was more concerned about my hand slipping into Chad's bag and retrieving Buster and Binky. It was harder than I thought since they weren't conveniently together and Chad was kissing me.

"Ha!" I said after I got my slippers and broke the kiss. I pushed away from Chad, but since he was so out of it from the kiss that he made it easy to break the embrace. I turned and started to run out of Stage 14 while shouting, "Peace out sucka!"

Chad must of snapped out of his faze, because after I kicked off my heels in mid-run, I heard him scream, "That's _my _line!" as I sprinted out the door.


	5. The Result

_A/N: So fail on my part for not updating in over a month. This is the part where I give numerous excuses, but I won't. So, **thank you** for sticking with me for the final chapter! As always, thank you for reading/reviewing/favoriting and I hope you'll enjoy the finale!_

* * *

"I _told _you so!" shrieked Tawni after I darted into the dressing room and collapsed onto my vanity. I just told her a much modified and altered story (like Chad initiated the kissing) of what happened in Stage 14 in between gasping breaths. Running and I do not get along.

"Tawni, can you please drop it? I'm kind of dying over here."

"Never doubt Tawni Hart," she continued in her self-righteous rant, "because Tawni Hart is never wrong when it comes to boys… and fashion." She glanced over at me and looked towards my feet. "Speaking of fashion, where are my heels?"

"Somewhere back in Stage 14," I said while my breathing slowly returned back to normal.

Tawni raised an eyebrow. "So he's really that great of a kisser?"

I turned around glaring at her and threw the closest thing near me, a hairbrush. My hairbrush, of course, since Chad's was still in my purse.

"What?" shrieked Tawni as she dodged the flying brush. "I'm just hoping he improved since when we were six. All he did was peck me on the cheek."

I could only glare at her; I didn't want to talk, just in case the wrong thing slipped out. Tawni walked over to my side of the room and laid an awkward hand on my shoulder. My guess was she was trying to be comforting.

"Sonny, to take the worry off your mind, you have my blessing if you want to date Chad."

Swatting her hand away, I managed to screech, "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?"

"Sonny, I know it might feel awkward for you that Chad likes you. Since I dated him when we were younger, you are feeling weird that he's my ex and he's kissing you and begging for dates. But, Sonny, you have my full permission to pursue the relationship if you so desire."

"I lied! Chad didn't kiss first! I did!" That was the wrong thing I was avoiding the entire time. Tawni's eyes got huge as I clamped my hand over my mouth.

"I was SO right!" she squealed as she rapidly clapped her hands and jumped up and down. I was slipping on some sneakers as she did her happy dance. "You two _so_ like each other!"

"Tawni, not to interrupt your happy party or anything…" I got up with my purse and headed towards the back wall of our dressing room. "I have to leave before Chad finds me; if he does, he'll take back his brush or, worse, ask me out."

My hands were on the window opening it up. Tawni stopped in the midst of her happy dance and gave me a strange, confused look as I crawled halfway out the window.

"Going through the hallways means I have a higher chance of running into Chad," I explained, but Tawni still looked confused. "Our window faces the parking lot, so I have a very slim chance of running into him while getting in my mom's car. I'll see you tomorrow." And with that I was out the window and running through the parking lot.

* * *

I avoided Chad of Friday and survived. That night I was lying on the couch in my apartment dressed in my comfy sweats with Buster and Binky on my feet. Gnomie was sitting in the chair beside the couch angled towards me smiling; it was creepy-looking just sitting there.

Mom walked into the living room from her bedroom all dressed up. She was heading towards the door, but stopped behind the couch and looked at me.

"Don't you have any plans or somewhere to go tonight?" She looked a bit worried as she glanced between me and Gnomie.

"I promised Zora that I would babysit Gnomie tonight." I pointed to the gnome as I explained.

"It's a gnome." She stated bluntly. "Can't you leave it at home and go out with your friends?"

"I wish it was that simple, but Zora attached a GPS unit to me and Gnomie." I lifted up a leg of my sweat pants to show off a bulky anklet that was forced onto me earlier in the day. "I can't take it off or go off without Gnomie; I'll face the wrath of Zora if I do." We both shuddered at the thought of Zora's wrath. I neglected to mention about refusing earlier in the day until I saw Chad round the corner into the hallway that Zora and I were standing in. I only agreed to the anklet, since it was the fastest way I could get out of the hallway and away from Chad.

"Oh well," my mother said. "It was worth a shot." She bent over to kiss me on the cheek. "Have fun and don't wait up for me. I'll be out late."

"Don't get into too much trouble," I called out after her as she headed out the door.

"Great," I mumbled to myself as I glared at the smiling Gnomie. "What are you smiling at?" I threw a pillow at it and continued my glaring.

Not to my surprise, babysitting Gnomie was pretty boring. After I was done glaring, we had a couple of staring contests. Sadly, I lost. Never have staring contests with gnomes; they are cheaters.

After my humiliating defeats, I decided to turn on the TV. Nothing good was on, so I settled for reruns of _Mackenzie Falls_. Ironically, the episode playing was the one that inspired Chad earlier in the week.

I got pretty into the show. Mackenzie was at the rendezvous point when somebody knocked at my door.

Once I got up from the couch, I walked towards the door and opened it. Chad Dylan Cooper was waiting for me on the other side.

"Chad... what... how...?" I stuttered after being caught off-guard.

"Well, hello to you too, Sonny," he said with a slight grin. "Aren't you going to invite me in?"

"How did you know I would be here?" I asked after slightly composing myself.

"I remember clearly the last time we talked that you were babysitting Gnomie tonight and I thought you needed a little company." I just stared at him until he sighed. "And I also came to get my hairbrush back."

"Thought so," I said with a smile of my own. "Come on in and make yourself at home. I'll go grab it."

I lead Chad into the living room. I left him there as I went into my bedroom to rummage through my purse. When I came back into the room, Chad was sitting on the couch watching TV. Mackenzie was in the middle of the ransom trade off; I should have known that Devon was behind it!

"_Mackenzie Falls_, Sonny? Really?" Chad asked playfully with a smile dancing on his lips. I shrugged and returned his smile.

"It was the only thing good on TV."

I handed over the hairbrush. Relief flooded through Chad as the thing sat in his hand.

"What's so special about the hairbrush?"

"My grandma gave it to me after I got the part on Mackenzie Falls." Chad shrugged as he was toying with the hairbrush. "She knew it would be my big break."

"I'm sorry that I didn't know or I would've taken something else for leverage." I glanced back at the TV. Mackenzie and Devon were in the midst of a brawl and somehow Trevor, Chloe and Penelope appeared during the time I wasn't paying attention.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Chad shrug again. "It's alright. You wouldn't have done it if I didn't steal your slippers in the first place." He looked down at my slippers. "Sorry about that, Buster and Binky." I turned my head and smiled as he sighed. "I'm also sorry for the whole fiasco in the first place. I forget that about 90% of the drama that happens on the _Falls_ is for the sake of having drama; not because it happens in real life. So, sorry about that."

"Apology accepted." I laughed and he cracked a smile.

"You know, Sonny, what I said back in Stage 14 is true."

I was caught me off guard again for a little bit. I opened my mouth to say something, but Chad interrupted me.

"I still like you Sonny, whether or not you like me back. However, the way you kissed me at the rendezvous tells me that you return the feelings."

Blood was rushing up to my cheeks as I tried to regain my composure and protest, but he interrupted me, again, as he leaned towards me.

"Shhhh, Sonny, the time for talking is over," he said using Mackenzie's famous line.

"Chad," I started to protest, but his lips quickly covered mine.

The kiss was soft and sweet; the complete opposite of the one that occurred in Stage 14. The hand that wasn't holding the brush cupped my cheek. A few minutes went by before we both pulled away.

Chad and I were a little breathless. His hand moved from my cheek to stroke my hair.

"You know," Chad said with a hint of a smile, "you never told me if you were available tomorrow night."

I sat there thinking as Chad continued to stroke my hair. You know what I realized? I did like Chad back. What Tawni said about me being in denial or whatnot was somewhat true, but I wasn't going to let her know. I just happened to realize it after my sock monkey slippers were stolen.

"I'm free tomorrow," I finally said.

"I'll pick you up at eight, then." His smile grew wider.

"Sounds good." I nodded with an equally wide smile as Chad leaned in and our lips touched again.


End file.
